Table top construction



Ap 10, 1934. 0, KLEE TABLE TOP CONSTRUCTION Filed March 29, 1935 'IIIIIIIIIIII. //IIIIIIIIIIII- 'III/ /n van for Henry Q ff/ee fforn ey Patented Apr. 10, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application March 29,

7 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in table top construction and has particular reference to metallic constructions fabricated from a single blank.

In light inexpensive folding table constructions which have gone into extensive use as sewing and bridge tables and the like, heretofore it has been deemed necessary to sacrifice the required rigidity in favor of lightness and cost of construction. Thus it becomes the object of my invention to provide a light inexpensive metallic table top which overcomes the objection in prior constructions.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel features of construction and combination and arrangement of parts as more fully hereinafter set forth in the specification and claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a table embody- .20 ing the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the top of the table shown in Fig. 1 with the legs removed for clarity. Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmental view of a portion of the underside of the table top.

Having reference to the drawing, the metallic table top 1 is provided with an upholstered central area 2. Preferably the upholstering is held in position by the calking action of a cord 3 clamping the edge of the upholstering in a continuous groove 4 bordering the upholstered area as described in detail in my copending application, Serial No. 663,384, filed March 29, 1933.

It is to be understood that although the employment of the groove 4 in combination with the hereinafter described means for stiffening the top 1 is preferred, the omission of the same is within the scope of the present invention. The top 1 is a drawn to provide flanged sides 5 which may be turned at 6 if desired.

In Fig. 2, the underside of the top 1, within the rectangular rib formed by the groove 4, is provided with drawn reinforcing and stiffening ribs 6 extending both diagonally and at right angles to the sides of the top 1 and the rectangular rib formed by the groove 4. Additional reinforcing ribs 7 with central flange portions 8 are separately fabricated and spot welded or otherwise I secured to the underside of the top. The ends 9 1933, Serial No. 663,383

of the rib 7 are spot welded to the side of the top betweenthe corner portions.

As will be readily apparent from inspection of Fig. 2, I have provided a surface which is stiffened and reinforced by a plurality of triangularly arranged ribbed sections, certain of which are arranged within and transposed upon others. For example each of the ribs '7 form a stiffening triangle with the flanged sides of the corner across which it is diagonally arranged. Within this triangle, another ribbed triangle is formed by the groove 4 and the rib 7. Furthermora the drawn ribs fi-located between the rib 7 and the corner of the top form additional triangles with the groove 4. Likewise, the drawn ribs 6 in the central portion of the top form corresponding triangularly arranged ribbed sections with the ribs 7 and the groove 4.

Top constructions of the above described type eliminate any tendency of the central portion to buckle first in one direction and then in the opposite direction upon intermittent application of pressure in one direction as is customary in sheet metal surfaces supported at spaced points. Furthermore, a table top fabricated from relatively light gage material is sufficiently stiffened by the above described rib and groove construction as to remain in practically a fixed plane under ordinary usage thus avoiding the unevenness that manifests itself in the supporting leg structure resulting from permanent distortion of the top.

I have illustrated only one embodiment of my invention although I contemplate several modifications of the herein disclosed structure. It is thought, however, that the single illustration will be suflicient to enable those skilled in the art to resort to such modifications within the scope of my invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a table or the like, the combination with a rectangular metallic top having flanged sides and fabricated from a single blank, of a rectangular groove located in the face of said top and paralleling the sides thereof, stiffening and bracing ribs secured to the underside of said top and extending diagonally across the corners of said groove and top and being secured to the sides of the top, a plurality of ribs drawn in the face of the top extending radially from the central portion thereof, said last mentioned ribs being located within the area enclosed by said groove, and upholstering material covering the face of said top to conceal said last mentioned ribs.

2. In a table or the like, the combination with a rectangular metallic top fabricated from a single blank, of a rectangular groove located in the face of said top and paralleling the sides thereof, stiffening and bracing ribs secured to the underside of said top and extending diagonally across the corner of said groove and top, a plurality of ribs drawn in the face of the top extending radially from the central portion thereof, said last mentioned ribs being located within the area enclosed by said groove, and upholstering material covering the face of said top to conceal said last mentioned ribs.

3. In a table or the like, the combination with a rectangular metallic top having side portions, of stiffening and bracing ribs secured to the underside of said top and extending diagonally across the corners thereof and afiixed to the side portions, a plurality of ribs drawn in the face of the top extending radially from the central portion thereof and forming triangular reinforced sections with said first mentioned rib over the greater portion of the area of said top, and upholstering material covering the face of said top to conceal said last ribs.

4. In a table or the like, the combination with a rectangular metallic top having side portions, of a rectangular groove paralleling the sides of said top inwardly from the edge thereof, stiffening and bracing ribs extending diagonally across the corners of said top and rectangular groove at the underside and forming triangular reinforcing sections at each corner of said top with both said groove and the side portions, said ribs being affixed to said side portions at substantially the midportion thereof.

5. In a table or the like, the combination with a rectangular metallic top having side portions, of a rectangular groove paralleling the sides of said top inwardly from the edge thereof, stiffening and bracing ribs extending diagonally across the corners of said top at the underside, and a plurality of drawn ribs located in the face of said top extending radially from the central portion thereof.

6. In a table or the like, the combination with a rectangular metallic top having side portions, of a rectangular groove paralleling the sides of said top inwardly from the edge thereof, stiffening and bracing ribs extending diagonally across the corners of said top at the underside, said ribs being affixed to said side portions at substantially the midportion thereof, and a plurality of drawn ribs located in the face of said top extending radially from the central portion thereof.

7. In a table or the like, the combination with a rectangular top of relative light gage sheet metal, of a rectangular groove paralleling the sides of said top inwardly from the edge thereof, stiffening and bracing ribs extending diagonally across the corners of said top and rectangular groove at the underside forming triangular reinforcing sections at each corner of the table top, said ribs constituting the hypotenuse of said triangular sections and being located substantially midway between the corners and center of the table.

HENRY O. KLEE. 

